Map Legend

Manatees

The Florida manatee, or sea cow (Trichechus manatus latirostris), a subspecies of the West Indian
manatee (Trichechus manatus), is a large, herbivorous, aquatic mammal that can be found in the shallow
coastal waters, rivers, and springs of Florida and adjoining states. These gentle creatures are endangered
throughout their range. High annual mortality, primarily associated with human activity, as well as a low
reproductive rate and loss of habitat continue to keep the number of manatees low and threaten the
species' future.
Learn more about manatees »

Year

Total - Current Bay

Total - All Bays

1985

17

495

1986

13

641

1987

12

517

1988

50

1578

1989

14

997

1990

18

922

1991

3

1217

1992

16

952

1993

19

1096

1994

22

954

1995

38

1677

1996

10

1785

1997

22

1558

1998

59

956

1999

34

908

2000

45

1054

2001

50

800

2002

19

456

2003

11

610

2004

28

666

2005

42

666

2006

28

586

2007

22

570

2008

27

1074

2009

36

1101

Manatee Aerial Survey Information: Total Manatees Counted per Year in Blackburn Bay Compared to the Total of All Bays

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Birds

Some common birds in this region that you might see include - Great Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, White Ibis, Brown Pelican, Osprey, Wood Stork, Yellow-Crowned Night Heron, Bald Eagles and the threatened Florida Scrub-jay.

More than 50,000 observers participate each year in this all-day census of early-winter bird populations. The results of their efforts are compiled into the longest running database in ornithology, representing over a century of unbroken data on trends of early-winter bird populations across the Americas. Simply put, the Christmas Bird Count, or "CBC", is citizen science in action.

The table below demonstrates the average number of birds seen per hour of effort put forth to view them. The historic average is the average of the total number of birds seen per hour of effort divided by the number of years listed in the brackets.

Species Name

Listing

Myakka Quadrangle

Sarasota Quadrangle

Venice Quadrangle

2011 - 2012 Results

Historic Average

2011 - 2012 Results

Historic Average

2011 - 2012 Results

Historic Average

American Oystercatcher

SSC

0.04

0.04 (1 yrs)

Bald Eagle

T

0.34

0.34 (1 yrs)

Black Skimmer

SSC

0.34

0.34 (1 yrs)

Brown Pelican

SSC

6.58

6.58 (1 yrs)

Florida Scrub-jay

T

Little Blue Heron

SSC

1.42

1.42 (1 yrs)

Peregrine Falcon

T

0.02

0.02 (1 yrs)

Reddish Egret

SSC

0.04

0.04 (1 yrs)

Snowy Plover

T

0.11

0.11 (1 yrs)

Tricolored Heron

SSC

1.1

1.1 (1 yrs)

White Ibis

SSC

10.56

10.56 (1 yrs)

Wood Stork

E

0.9

0.9 (1 yrs)

* Threatened (T), Endangered (E) and Species of Special Concern (SSC) status as listed by the State of Florida.

Florida's Breeding Bird Atlas

This site provides access to the Florida Breeding Bird Atlas data recorded by volunteers from 1986 - 1991. The surveys occurred in all 67 counties which were divided into 1028, 7.5 minutes topographic quadrangles.
Each quadrangle was further divided into 6 (2 wide by 3 tall) equal-sized blocks of about 10 miles2 of which about 75% (4,866) were surveyed. For each species, a breeding code indicating the "highest" breeding evidence was recorded.

Fisheries Independent Monitoring

Visual Surveys are used to estimate relative abundance and to monitor the size and class distribution of important fish species.
The Fisheries-Independent Monitoring program (FIM) conducts stratified-random sampling to estimate fish abundance and population trends in seven regions around Florida.
Visit the FIM site (below) to learn how studies are performed and what they reveal, learn more about fish species, and see images of these species. Learn More about Fisheries Independent Monitoring »

Commercial Fisheries Landings in Florida

Commercial fisheries include any species that are harvested and sold for human consumption, for medical use, in aquarium or souvenir trades, or for any other for-profit purpose. The state of Florida collects data from commercial harvesters and dealers to generate statistics on the types of species and quantities landed as well as the size, weight, and age distribution of harvested species.

Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey

The Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS) was developed by the
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to monitor recreational fisheries. The MRFSS
is designed to collect a variety of data in order to estimate catch, harvest, and
fishing effort.

Other Fisheries Information

The Tampa Bay coast supports a wide array of fish and crustaceans such as Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout, Snook, Flounder, Blue Crab, Pompano, Mullet, Stone Crab and Shrimp. More than 80 percent of the fish we catch for food or fun depend on estuaries for all or part of their lives. Learn more about fisheries. »

Species Information for Common Fish Caught on Florida's West Coast

Information from FWRI about commercially and recreational important finfish. Includes: stock assessments, species accounts, regulations, and other research studies.

Dolphins

Bottlenose dolphins are common along the central west coast of Florida,
including Sarasota Bay and surrounding waters. Long-term studies by the
Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, initiated by Mote Marine Laboratory
in 1970, and continuing today in conjunction with the Chicago Zoological
Society, are monitoring a resident community of four generations of
dolphins in Sarasota Bay.
Learn more about dolphins »

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The dolphins using Sarasota Bay have been monitored since the 1970's.
Mark-recapture estimates in 1976 and 1983 (shown on the graph) indicated
that about 100 dolphins were present on a regular basis. Since 1984,
intensive efforts to monitor recognizable individual dolphins have
produced the census numbers shown in this graph. The data from 1984
through 2003 show numbers of identifiable individuals recognized during
any given year -- it should be noted that this is not the same as a
population estimate because it does not include the non-identifiable
individuals using the bay. Most, but not all, dolphins in the bay are
individually-distinctive from dorsal fin features. Increases from 1984
through about 1990 likely reflect improvements in scientists' abilities
to identify dolphins, more than increases in numbers of dolphins
present. Subsequent increases since the mid-1990's likely indicate
actual changes in the population, with several record years of calf
production (as shown in graph), some cases of immigration, and several
individuals from Tampa Bay who have developed a pattern of seasonal
residency. Increases since the mid-1990's correlate with presumed fish
stock increases since the net ban, but cause-effect relationships have
not been conclusively established. Also indicated in the graph is the
number of known deaths (as documented through recovery of carcasses by
the Mote Marine Lab Stranding Investigations Program) and losses of
first-year calves. Other dolphins are lost but not recovered.

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